Motion-picture projector



Sept' 9, -1947 I R. J. MILLER 2,427,295 l MOTION PICTURE PROJECTOR original Filed May 1, 1941 sweets-sheet 1' Sept- 9,1947. R.'J.M1LLER y. 2,427,295 MOTION PICTURE PRoJEcToR y Origni Filed May` 1;' 1941 3 Sheets-Shee't' Y 'I v ggymmfr gf @3g-w. y

Patented Sept. 9, 1947 UNITED STATES MOTION-PICTURE PROJECTOR Raymond -J. Miller, Detroit, Mich., assignor to vAmerican Pattern and Manufacturing Co., a copartnership consisting of Raymond J. Miller and Alfred E. Wilson, Detroit, Mich.

Original application May v1, 1941, Serial No. 391,258. Divided and this application July 29, 1944, Serial No. 547,163

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to motion picture pro`jectors wherein means aresprovided to enable the operator to determine the location of the nlm frames relative to the aperture of the plate.

In the operation of motion picture projectors, independent visual images carried by a strip of film of any suitable material A are successively aligned with an aperture in a plate and are projected onto a screen by a light directed through the aperture and film.

To enable the operator to determine the position of a nlm frame relative to the aperture of the aperture plate, it has been customary to employ a framing light so mounted that it could be moved into the path of the projecting light through the aperture whereby the operator could observe the position of a lm frame relativek to the aperture to determine whether or not the lilin was threaded into the projector fin frame. This method of framing has been objectionable because it necessitated an extra operation on the part of the operator to move the framing light into an operative position, and unless carefully manipulated the framing light would not always lie in the same position relative to the aperture whereby inaccuracies of framing might result.

An object of this invention is therefore to provide improved framing means whereby the position of a nlm frame relative to the aperture may be readily observed.

Yet another object of the invention resides in the provision of a viewer carried by the pressure plate housing and cooperating with a iXed framin-g light positioned adjacent the aperture `of the aperture plate but out of alignment with the path of the projecting light whereby the operator' can readily determine the position of a ln frame relative to the aperture when threading the `projec'tor.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed de'- scription considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, submitted for purposes of illustration only, and not intended lto define the vscope of the invention, reference lbeing had for that purpose to the subjoined claims.

In the drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views: r

Fig. 1 is a perspectiv'eview of a motion picture projector embodying. the present invention Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional view of the projector through the aperture pressure plate.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line :ie-3` of Fig. 2 looking inthe direction of the arrcrwsxv 1 Fig. 4 is a part sectional View taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig, 2 looking inthe direction v of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a. sectional view through the pressureV (c1. :ss- 17) plate housing at the eye piece looking downwardly.

s Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing a modied form or viewer.

5 Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in 'its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention 10 is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways, Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or Vterminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

.15 Referring now to the drawings, it will be observed that the invention is illustrated as being embodied in a motion picture projector having a main casing I2. The space within the casing I2 is preferably divided by a substantially vertically extending intermediate wall I4 into a iilm 'com partmeiit I6 and a mechanism compartment. Upper and lower film driving sprockets I8 and 20 and an intermittently driven sprocket 22 project through the intermediate wall I4 and are provided with radially extending sprocket teeth 24 adapted to engage within spaced apertures in nlm 26 to drive it. The 'sprockets I8 and 2i) are driven by suitable gearing in the mechanism compartment to move the nlm at a substantially predetermined Uspeed. The intermittently driven sprocket 22 is driven from the mechanism compartment by a suitable intermittence driving mechanism to momentarily align successive lm frames with an aperture 28 formed in an aperture plate 30 carried by anaperture plate housing 32. y The aperture plate 30 is preferably supported between lm tracks 34 and film track carrier 35 aligned with the aperture plate housing 32 and with a wall 38 extending transversely from the in- 40 termediate wall I4 and spaced forwardly from a back wall 40 of the main casing I2.

The lm 26 is drawn into the i'llm compartment I6 through a slot 42 formed in the upper wall of the casing kI2 by the upper lm driving sprocket I8. After leaving the sprocket I8 the nlm is directed over the top of a shoe guide plate 44 between lm guide rollers 46 and 48 mounted von a shaft 50 carried by bosses 52 and 54` associated with the aperture plate housing 32. The iilrn 26 50 is then intermittently moved downwardly by the intermittently driven sprocket 22 to momentarily align successivev nlm frames with the aperture 28.

The film 26 is maintained in contact with the sprocket teeth 24 of the intermittently driven sprocket 22 by a lm tension shoe 56 which comprises an intermittence sprocket shoe 53 so proportioned as to follow the general contour of the intermittently driven sprocket 22 and maintain the film in engagement with the sprocket teeth 24.

Means such for example as a spring 60 may be the lm 26 to prevent disengagement of the film from the sprocket teeth 24. The spring 60 may be adjustably mounted on a screw 62 threaded into the nlm shoe guide plate 44 whereby the pressure exerted on the film by the intermittence sprocket shoe 58 can be varied to maintain the film under a desired tension. A stripper plate 64 may be provided to prevent the film 23 from winding up on the sprocket 22 in the event of nlm breakage.

After leaving the sprocket 22 the film preferably forms a backwardly directed loop extending into an outwardly flared portion 66 of the back Wall 40. The film is then directed over the lower nlm driving sprocket and is discharged from the nlm compartment I6 through an opening 08 preferably communicating with a sound head.

Projecting light is directed towards the aperture 28 from a suitable light source preferably positioned behind the projector. A shutter of any suitable form such for example as a rotatable member 10 having angularly inclined blades 12 may be provided to intermittently interrupt the flow of projecting light into the i'llm compartment I6 to prevent streaking as successive frames of the lm 26 are moved into alignment with the aperture 28 and to prevent Visible flicker. The shutter is mounted in a housing 'I4 having a back light admission port 'I6 aligned with an inwardly directed baille 18 formed in the back wall 40.

Suitable heat shields 80 preferably positioned between the shutter and the back wall 40 of the casing I2 may be provided to retard the flow of heat from the projecting light into a cooling chamber 82. A movable fire valve 84 may be provided to lie between a front light admission port 86 adjacent the forward end of the baffle 'I8 and the aperture 28 to interrupt the flow of projecting light when the projector is not operating at a desired substantially predetermined speed.

The iire valve 84 may be carried by a shaft 88 having a pinion 90 meshing with a rack 92 actuated by speed controlled means driven from the mechanism compartment to maintain the re valve 84 in the open or unobstructing position when the projector is operating at a substantially predetermined speed. The re valve 84 may also be manually actuated by a rack 94 controlled by a plunger 96 suitably positioned in the film compartment I6.

The cooling chamber 82 preferably communi Cates with atmosphere on opposite sides of the aperture plate 30 and film track carriers 36 through inlet ports 98 formed in the back wall 40 and outlet ports communicating with the cooling chamber 82 through a manifold passage |00, and an impeller preferably driven by the rotatable member 10 of the shutter.

The shoe guide plate 44 is mounted in a pressure plate housing |02 mounted on a carrier arm |04. The carrier arm |04 is slidably mounted on a plurality or vertically spaced generally hor'- Zontally disposed rods I 06 extending longitudinally in the lm compartment I6 and attached to the intermediate wall I4.

Motion transmitting means controlled by a lever |08 positioned between the housing |02 and a fixed portion of the projector may be provided to move the pressure plate housing |02 and the pressure shoe guide plate 44 away from the aperture plate 30 and film tracks 34 to enable the operator to thread film into the projector.

A telescoping light shield in the form of a ring |09 mounted on studs III carried by the housing |02 may be yieldingly urged by springs II3 towards a lens tube I|5 to enable the housing |02 to separate from the aperture plate to permit the operator to thread lm into the projector and to facilitate removal of the pressure plate housing from the iilm compartment. The lens tube II5 is supported on a plurality of the vertically spaced horizontally extending rods |06 by a lens tube carrier arm II1. l

A knob |I0 carried by a locking shaft |I2 may be provided to project through the pressure plate housing |02 to enable the operator to readily remove the pressure plate housing |02 and shoe guide and pressure plates from the carrier arm |04 to clean or adjust them.

A plurality of vertically spaced relatively small film engaging shoes I I4 and I I6 may be provided to yieldingly urge the film 26 into engagement with the lm tracks 34 to maintain the film in a substantially predetermined spaced relation relative to the aperture 28. The nlm engaging shoes |I4 and II6 project through slots II8 and |20 formed in the shoe guide plate 44 and are provided with laterally extending projections which prevent the shoes from passing completely through the slots II8 andI20.

Means may be provided to vary the pressure exerted on the film by each of the film engaging shoes. One illustrative example of a mechanism for varying the pressure exerted by spaced shoes comprises a pressure plate |28 floatingly mounted relative to the shoe guide plate 44 and having independent vertically spaced springs such as those illustrated at |24 and|26 interposed between the pressure plate |28 and each of the nlm engaging shoes |I4 and IIB. The springs |24 and |26 may be operably connected to the pressure plate |28 by suitable screws |30. The pressure plate |28 is thus resiliently mounted on the shoe guide plate 44 and is guided by screws |32 in such a manner that the pressure plate can vary its position angularly to equalize the pressure exerted by the springs on each side of the shoe guide plate 44.

Means may be provided to independently vary the pressure exerted on the nlm by the vertically spaced film engaging shoes II4 and IIB. One desirable form of such pressure varying means comprises cam members |34 and |36 carried by vertically spaced shafts |38 and |40 journalled in the pressure plate housing |02 and engaging vertically spaced cam followers |42 and |44 carried by the pressure plate |28. The shafts |38 and |40 project beyond the outer edge ol' the pressure plate housing |02 and are provided with knobs |46 and |48 whereby they may be independently rotated to vary the pressure exerted by the vertically spaced shoes II4 and I|6. The shafts |38 and |40 may be formed with serrated end portions |50 adapted to be engaged by a. spring pressed locking clip |52 to prevent the shafts from rotating to vary the pressure exerted on the shoes until subjected to a substantially predetermined manual rotating force.

Attention is called to the fact that the unsprung weight of the lm engaging shoes I I4 and I |16 is minimized because a relatively large number of relatively small and light shoes are employed. Each of the shoes is yieldingly urged towards the `film tracks 34 by its individual spring so that any disturbance caused by the film is not transmitted to the next shoe. Such disturbance of the nlm may be caused by a variation in thickness of hlm or by the presence oi a splice in the film where two pieces of lm have been joined together. When this splice passes through between the vfilm eng-aging shoes and the lm tracks vit is necessary for the shoes to move away from the tracks to allow the splice to pass. Thus it will be seen that if the unsprung weight of the hlm engaging shoes is low they will recover their original position more rapidly than if the unsprung weight of the shoes were high. Also, it will allow the patch to pass through with less resistance since the inertia is low. It will be noted that only one pair of shoes is effected at .a time by the patch while the remaining shoes are performing their function uninterrupted. This all vgoes to produce a steadier alignment of the iilm resulting in a minimum disturbance of the picture on the screen.

It will be noted that it is possible to vary the pressure exerted on the nlm by the upper and lower film engaging shoes I|`4 and IIE respectively. 'For example, the lo-wer shoes I I positioned closer to the intermittently driven sprocket 22 may be adjusted to exert greater pressure on the hlm 26 than the upper film engaging shoes I I4 to give more stabilized control of the lm.

Means maintained in a xed relation relative to the projector may be provided to enable the operator to observe the position of a film frame relative to the aperture 25 to determine whether the iilm is threaded into the projector in frame.

One desirable form of such framing means comprises a framing light maintained in a fixed position out or alignment with the path of the projecting light, and a viewing port positioned on `the opposite side of the aperture .28 whereby the position of the frame lines of the iilm relative to the aperture dening marginal walls of the aperture plate can be observed by the operator.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, a framing light may be provided in a housing |54 located outside of the "malin casing I2 of the projector and out of the path of the projecting light through the shutter housing 14. The framing light housing L54 is provided with a cutout portion .|58 directed towards the aperture 28. The framing light housing |54 is provided with a cutout portion |55` directed towards the aperture y28. The framing light positioned in the housing |54 may be of any suitable type such for example as an electric light and may be controlled by a switch |58 having a plunger IED preferably positioned adjacent the back wall 48 so as to be actuated by the marginal edge of a door |62 hinged to the main casing I2. The switch |58 is operably connected with the framing light in such a manner that when the door .|82 is in the position to close the film compartment I6, the framing light is ofi. When the door |82 is opened the plunger |68 of the switch |58 moves longitudinally to actuate the switch and close the electrical contacts to light the framing light positioned in the housing |54. A viewing port |54 may project through the wall of the pressure plate housing |62 in alignment with the aperture 28 and the cutout portion |55 of the housing |54 whereby the light .rays from the framing light may project through the cutout portion |58; aperture 28 and lrn to enable the operator to observe whether the :hlm is threaded in frame with reference to the aperture 28.

lAs more clearly illustrated in Fig. 5, the viewing port |64 may comprise an eye piece |36 projecting through the pressure plate housing |02 and suitably attached thereto as by means of 6 a clamp |88. If desired, the eye piece |86 may be provided with a lens |10 of suitable proportions such Afor example as a bi-convex lens vto magnify the aperture 28 to magnify the image of the viewed frame.

Referring now to Fig. 6, it `will be observed that if desired a prism |1| may be provided to collect light from the rectangular shaped aperture 28 and direct it to a lens |13 preferably of the plano-convex type whereby the View of the image of the lrn frame is extended and magnied to bring it to a, position more convenient for the operator to check.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 4 a framing light is positioned within the cooling chamber 82 out of alignment with the projecting light. This framing light comprises an electric light bulb |12 mounted in a socket |14. The socket |14 preferably has a knurled knob |16 extending through the wall of the aperture plate housing 32 whereby the socket may be readily removed to replace burned out bulbs. Electric current is supplied to the bulb |12 through suitable wires |18 and |88 operably connected to metal rings |82 and` |84 respectively connected with the contact points of the bulb |12.

The wire |88 is preferably connected with a switch |88 having a plunger |88 positioned to "be actuated by the door |62 to extinguish the framing light when the door is in the position to close the film compartment I8,

Attention is called to the fact that when the `door 82 of the iilm compartment I8 is opened the framing light |12 is automatically turned on whereby the operator can observe the position of th-e spaced frames of the film through the directed baie 18.

viewing port |64. With the embodiment of the to hold the iire valve 84 open because the framing ylight is positioned at such an angle as to project through the aperture 28 even though the iire valve 84 is in the position to close the front light admission port 86 formed in the shutter housing 14 adjacent the end of the inwardly The operator thus has both hands free to position the film in the proper position with reference to the lm guiding and driving means and to manipulate the aperture pressure plate.

Means may be provided to mount the pressure plate housing |82 on the housing carrier arm ,|94 in such a manner that it may be adjusted vertically and horizontally to properly align it with the aperture plate housing 32.

This is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 391,258, iiled May l, 1941, now Patent No. 2,374,828, issued May 1, 1945, which was a continuation in part of my earlier filed application Serial No. 250,310, filed January 11, 1939, now Patent No. 2,312,663, issued March 2, 1943.

I claim:

1. In a motion picture projector, a housing having a film compartment including a back Wall having a light admission port, an access door for the iilm compartment, an aperture plate housing spaced from and cooperating with the back wall-to provide a cooling chamber for the dissipation of heat from the projection light, an aperture plate having a film projecting aperture in alignment with the light admission port in the back wall, a fire shutter adapted to be interposed between the light admission port and the iilm projecting aperture when the projector is not running, a lrn pressure plate housing positioned forwardly of the aperture plate and movable between operating and threading positions adjacent and spaced from the aperture plate, means carried by the film pressure plate housing to yieldingly urge film into engagement with the aperture plate, a framing device comprising a framing light positioned in the cooling chamber out of alignment with the light admission port in the back wall, a viewing port in the iilm pressure plate housing in alignment with the aperture in the aperture plate and the framing light when the film pressure plate housing is in the threading position and the re shutter is positioned between the light admission port and the film projecting aperture, and a switch actuated by opening of the access door to light the framing light.

2. In a motion picture projector adapted to projectI independent visual images from a plurality of successively spaced film frames, a housing having a back wall including a light admission port, a plate having an aperture therein positioned forwardly from the back wall, a cooling chamber between said plate and the back wall, a fire shutter interposed between the light admission port and the aperture in said plate and movable between open operative and closed inoperative positions, means to momentarily align successive film frames with the aperture, a framing device comprising a readily removable framing light located in a substantially iixed position in the cooling chamber out of alignment with the path of the projecting light, manually operable means whereby the framing light may be readily removed from the housing for repair or replacement, and a viewing port positioned forwardly of the aperture plate in alignment with the framing light and aperture when the iire shutter is in the closed inoperative position whereby the position of iilm frames relative to the aperture can be observed.

3. In a motion picture projector, a casing including a back wall having a light admission port and an access door cooperating to form walls of a iilm compartment, an aperture plate and an aperture plate housing spaced from the back wall, a coo-ling chamber between the back wall and the aperture plate housing, a framing light positioned in said cooling chamber out of alignment with the light admission port of the back wall and the aperture of the aperture plate, a film pressure plate housing in the iilm compartment movable between positions adjacent and spaced from the aperture plate to permit threading iilm into the projector, a viewing port f in the film pressure plate housing to align with the framing light and the aperture of the aperture plate when the housing is spaced from the aperture plate to permit threading Llm into the projector, and means including a door actuated switch to light the framing light when the access door of the iilm compartment is opened.

4. In a motion picture projector, a main casing comprising a back wall having a light admission port, an access door, a lm compartment within the main casing, an aperture plate spaced from the back wall and having an aperture aligned with the light admission port in the back wall, a framing device comprising a housing positioned behind the back wall of the main casing and having a cut out portion through the back wall out of alignment with the light admission port of the back wall and the aperture in the aperture plate, a framing light in said housing,

a film pressure plate housing movable between positions adjacent and spaced from the aperture plate, a viewing port positioned in the pressure plate housing to align with the framing light and aperture when the pressure plate housing is moved to the position spaced from the aperture plate, and a door actuated switch to light the framing light when the access door is opened.

5. In a motion picture projector, a housing having a lm compartment including a back wall having a light admission port, a wall spaced from the back wall and cooperating therewith to provide a cooling chamber for the dissipation of heat from a projection light, an aperture plate having a film projecting aperture in alignment with the light admission port in the back wall, a fire shutter adapted to be interposed between the light admission port and the lm projecting aperture when the projector is not running, a iilm shoe pressure plate housing positioned for; wardly of the aperture plate and movable between operating and threading positions adjacent and spaced from the aperture plate, means carried by the film shoe pressure plate housing to yieldingly urge film into engagement with the aperture plate, a framing device comprising a framing light positioned in the cooling chamber out of alignment with the light admission port in the back wall, a viewing port in alignment with the framing light in the cooling chamber and visible from the film compartment when the iilm shoe pressure plate housing is in the threading position and the fire shutter is positioned between the light admission port and the iilm projecting aperture to determine the relative position of a iilm frame relative to the film projecting aperture.

6. In a motion picture projector, a housing having an intermediate wall dividing the space within the housing into film and mechanism compartments, an aperture plate in the iilm compartment, a film shoe aperture plate housing in the film compartment forwardly of the aperture plate and movable between operating and film threading positions with reference to the aperture plate, a cooling chamber positioned behind the aperture plate, a framing light positioned in the cooling chamber out of alignment with the aperture of the aperture plate, and a i'llm frame viewing port aligned with the framing light to indicate the framing position of a film frame relative to the aperture of the aperture plate when the iilrn shoe aperture plate housing is in the threading position relative to the aperture plate.

RAYMOND J. MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,489,332 Outrey Apr. 8, 1924 1,580,969 Dina Apr. 13, 1926 1,753,647 Dina Apr. 8, 1930 1,845,490 Dina Feb. 16, 1932 1,958,475 Frappier et al May 15, 1934 2,101,934 Fassin Dec. 14, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 333,988 Germany June 11, 1919 462,884 Germany July 19, 1928 

